A Santacruz resident was arrested last week for allegedly murdering his brother-in-law, a senior citizen, who he suspected was having an affair with his wife.

A Santacruz resident was arrested last week for allegedly murdering his brother-in-law, a senior citizen, who he suspected was having an affair with his wife.

The police also arrested the accused’s sister for trying to cover up her husband’s murder by telling authorities it was an accident.

The police said the accused, Vijay Raghuvanshi, 42, works for a private firm in Nagpur and returned to the city a month ago. While he was away, however, he allegedly suspected his 38-year-old wife of having an affair.

On October 20, he allegedly found a recording of his wife’s conversation with his brother-in-law Baba Abdul Rehman Shaikh, 62, who married Raghuvanshi’s sister Nanda 15 years ago.

“Raghuvanshi and Nanda confronted Shaikh at his Juhu residence. The two men got into a fight and broke a glass panel attached to an electric box nearby. Raghuvanshi then stabbed Shaikh in the chest with the broken glass and slashed him across his face,” said Sanjay Mali, assistant inspector, Santacruz police station.

Following the incident, Nanda panicked and they rushed an injured Shaikh to Cooper hospital, where he was declared dead during treatment, the police said. To cover up the incident, Nanda allegedly told the doctors Shaikh fell on a fish tank.

“We had filed an accidental death report, but Raghuvanshi’s statement raised our suspicion and we started interrogating him. The police then approached Shaikh’s daughter who told them about her father’s illicit relationship,” said Mali.

After days of questioning, Raghuvanshi and Nanda finally confessed to the crime on October 31. They two are in police custody, said officials.